The Kindness of Strangers

I pulled the Jamis out of my bike quiver this morning, intending to make up for the fact that I didn't ride it yesterday. Yesterday when I left there was a 30% chance of showers and the skies looked vaguely threatening. So I took the Schwinn. And of course, it didn't rain on me. It's funny because in most situations I'm pleased when I don't get rained on, but when I ride a bike specifically because it might rain I feel a little put out when the weather fails to make good on it's side of the bargain.

As the kids and I waited for the bus I transferred all of my gear from the pannier to the messenger bag, because I still haven't decided if I want to put a rear rack on the Jamis. The bus arrived, kids boarded, and I took off. I had ridden about half a mile when I heard a semi-loud popping sound. I immediately thought, "I've been shot!" I blame this response on the fact that I'd stayed up late last night watching Reservoir Dogs. I don't want to ruin the ending if you haven't seen it, but suffice it to say that there's a lot of shooting.

Once I came to my senses, I realized I'd flatted. I pulled the bike over to the side and pulled off the back wheel. In no time, I had the tube out. I felt like the father in A Christmas Story. "Four minutes. Time me." I opened up the messenger bag and realized I didn't have a tube for this bike. Oh Fudge. OK then, I'll just patch it. As I got the patch kit out I realized my pump was still in the pannier. This time I didn't say "Fudge." I said THE word, the big one, the queen-mother of dirty words, the "F-dash-dash-dash" word!

So, I sucked it up, put the tire back on the rim and the wheel back on the bike. I repacked the messenger bag, turned around and started walking home. I hadn't gone far when an older guy in a van who was turning into the golf course stopped and asked if I needed a lift. We threw my bike in the back and I was home in 30 seconds. Beats walking. I stashed the Jamis, pulled out the Schwinn and was only 15 minutes late to work. So a big thanks go out to the guy in the blue minivan.

On my way home from work I made a quick stop at Hiawatha and bought two new tubes from Jim along with a frame pump. No rest for the wicked.

In other news, I just found my trike on eBay for only $975, and free shipping! A brand new 2005 model. Good gravy, what a deal!

Date: June 6
Mileage: 19
Ride type: Commute
June mileage: 60
Year to date mileage: 1522